Chennai sources have stated that the State government would in its Budget announce steps to safeguard small vendors and traders from the impact of demonetization after examining the measures expected to be announced in the Union Budget on February 1, which was said by the Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, who also holds the Finance portfolio.
His assurance has came in response to a question raised by DMK MLA Anitha R. Radhakrishnan (Tiruchendur constituency) in the State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday as to whether the government was making any efforts to protect vendors and traders from the negative impact of the withdrawal of high-value currencies. Mr. Panneerselvam has urged Mr. Radhakrishnan to be present in the House on Wednesday.
Previously Mr. Radhakrishnan had accused the AIADMK
government of failing to take up with the Centre the hardship being faced by
vendors and traders due to demonetization, as was being done by the governments
of other States. At this point, Law Minister C.Ve. Shanmugam took a dig at the
DMK by questioning as to why the party, while a constituent of the former
Congress-led UPA government, supported the proposal to allow Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI) in the retail sector, which he said was against the interests
of retailers and traders.